Visit the houses designed by famous Architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright designed some of the most beautiful houses in American history. Throughout his career, he brought American architecture to the spotlight during the early 20th century—showcasing his visionary creations inspired by the natural world and technology.
During his career, from 1887 to 1959, Wright created iconic buildings and houses. The vast majority of his houses belong to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and declared National Historic Landmarks. They attract visitors from around the world.
If you’re curious about visiting the structures, but you don’t know where to start, visit these three Frank Lloyd Wright houses that exemplified his vision. To this day, they still personify his creative forces and unique designs. Get ready to take a step back in time with these creations.
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
If you’re going to visit Wright’s home creations, it’s important to visit his first houses located at 951 Chicago Avenue in Oak Park, Illinois. In 1887, Wright moved to Chicago from his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, in search of potential employment. The historic Great Chicago Fire of 1871 made new development plentiful in the city.
Within days, Wright was hired as a draftsman for the architectural firm of Joseph Lyman Silsbee. He began working on many projects, and he fell in love with the business. On June 1, 1889, he married his first wife, Catherine Lee “Kitty” Tobin, and the couple moved into the home in Oak Park, IL.
Wright was just 22 years old when he began using his house as an experiment for new concepts. The home’s structural design led to his iconic Prairie Style of architecture. Wright kept adding onto the house during the 20-year period he lived there with his wife and six children. Now a National Historic Landmark, the Home, and Studio has been restored, maintained, and continues to operate as a museum by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust.
Hollyhock House
Wright’s Hollyhock House was one of his early experimentations in ornamental concrete, but it seemed to work for commissioner Aline Barnsdall. An American oil heiress, she paid Wright to design her home, located in Hollywood’s Barnsdall Art Park at 4800 Hollywood Boulevard.
Constructed between 1919 and 1921, the home was originally supposed to include an arts and theater complex, but this was never completed. In 1927, Barnsdall donated the home and property to the city of Los Angeles to turn it into a public art park.
The Hollyhock House was different than a lot of Wright’s usual work. Designed as a Mayan Revival style house, the architectural design has fascinated tourists since its construction. Can you really blame them?
The home is a combination of house and gardens, with each interior space adjoining an equivalent exterior space. The areas are connected by glass doors, a porch, a pergola, or a colonnade. Because of its unique features, the Hollyhock House is now a National Historic Landmark.
Fallingwater
Regarded as the most beautiful and inspiring of Wright’s houses, Fallingwater is a mesmerizing spectacle for tourists. Built over a 30-foot waterfall at 1491 Mill Run Road, in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, it appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1938 (after its completion).
The house was also named the “best all-time work of American architecture” by the American Institute of Architects
The Japanese-style house features Wright’s iconic style: cantilevered balconies, horizontal and vertical lines, and his signature Cherokee red paint on the steel. The architect hit the nail on the head with this creation, and it remains his most iconic work. The house is listed among Smithsonian Magazine’s list of 28 places to “visit before you die.”
With reviews like that, it’s no wonder Wright is still regarded as one of the best architects of all time. He continues to receive honorary recognition, and he was more than deserving of the accolades.
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